Good morning everyone! Over the weekend, a friend’s daughter reached out to her parent’s network of friends and family asking if they’d take a moment to share some personal thoughts that she could consolidate for their collective 50th birthday celebration. As the realization that time is indeed inevitable and that at some point we may have to accept that we’ve reached a significant age milestone, it allowed me to reflect a bit on how this transition is infinitely easier when we decide that our “age at heart” does not necessarily have to match our “age in years.” I hope you enjoy…
Life is like a roller coaster. Sometimes you close your eyes and hold on in sheer terror and other times, you just have to raise your hands up in the air and enjoy the ride.”
Crossing the 50th birthday threshold is quite a monumental step. On one hand, the pessimistic in our crowd might quip that you’ve crossed the zenith and that you’re now starting the rapidly accelerating downhill portion of this crazy and chaotic roller coaster of life. The optimistic in our crew might counter with a fine wine reference – that you continue to age gracefully and your age and experience continues to gain richness in both bouquet and flavor. However, regardless of how others approach this major life event, the only perspective that really matters is yours.
I really love this roller coaster of life analogy. There is always that exciting anticipation as the coaster slowly clicks its hypnotic way up the gigantic ascent. You often double- and triple-check your safety harness, because even though you’re confident that this ride is designed to meet your thrill-seeking need, the logical survival-mode part of your brain forces you to do some last minute risk mitigation. As the car crosses the precipice, your heart fights like it wants to jump out of your chest. The car begins its terrifying and exhilarating descent, picking up speed and turning its potential energy into hair-raising kinetic energy. You experience that initial feeling of weightlessness and your ever-tightening grip turns your knuckles white. But here’s the personal part – your decision to either shut your eyes and scream in terror, or stare in wide-eyed tear-streaked wonder as the wind slaps you in the face and delight in the pleasure of surprise as the ride rocks you to and fro through its blinding turns and unexpected loop-de-loops. Big slow climbs and rapid scary falls; weightlessness and crushing centrifugal force; exhilaration and relief; and before you know it, you’re back on the loading platform.
Regardless of whether you’re still approaching or have already conquered an important age milestone and you’re able to reflect upon the many trials and tribulations you’ve experienced so far, hopefully you are able to look back on the many memories and contributions you’ve made to make the world a better place - be it: family-oriented and designed to impart love and knowledge; the passion, hard work, and dedication to your professional career; or the example you’ve been able to set within your wider personal community on “giving back.” If the examples are not to the level and magnitude you hoped for, you still have time to create them, because age is truly just a state of mind. Get back in line for another ride.
But I’m fairly confident that as you find a quiet moment to think about your ride of life so far, you’ll smile with the realization that while it has been a pretty great up to this point, the best is still yet to come. Remember, people love roller coasters for the excitement of the momentary lapse of gravity, shooting through corkscrews, loop-de-loops, switchbacks, and cobra turns. Like life, it has its ups and downs; its rapid turns and weightless wonders. But you get to choose how you embrace it. Scream or cheer - are you ready to get off or willing to go again? Enjoy your ride!
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